Process of treating hydrocarbons



Patented Aug. 9, 1227.-

UNITED STA TES.

cannon r. DU'IBBS, or wrmun'r'rn', rumors, ASSIGNOR r UNIVERSAL oIL- rnonuc'rs comrm, or cnreaeo, ILLINOIS, aconroanrro v or some: DAKOTA.

' rnocnss or 'rnnirme IHYDBO-CARBOIIS.

. Application filed September 29, 1919,.Serial No. 327,315. Renewed 1Iarch 24, 1927.

This invention relates to improvements in process of converting hydrocarbons and're fers more particularly to an improved process and apparatus for convertingheavy into J lower boiling point hydrocarbons. a I Among the objects of the invention are to provide a process by which the heavy hydro carbons containing little or no gasoline content are so subjected to heat and pressure as to convert a substantial portion thereof into asoline-like products to provide a process 0% the character referred to in which the oil passes-through a plurality of small streams in a cracking zone and thence to a vapor chamber located outside of the cracking zone so as to reduce to a minimum the danger of fires; to provide a process in'which the reflux condensate is returnedv to thecracking zone forfurther treatment :without being ferred to. pf the'single figure desi-g In the drawings,

nates a somewhat diagrammatic'side elva tion of my improved apparatus? Referring to the drawings, fire box in which clined tubes 2 connected'at their ends to the inlet headers 3 and outlet headers 4 res Heck tively. The header 4 is connected through leg 5 to a vapor chamber 6 which vapor chamber 6 is mounted on suitable supports 7 so as to be outside of the fire zones The vapor chamber 6 is provided with manholes 8 and 9 and draw oifline 10, the latter leading to a residuum tank not shown and controlled by throttle valve 11.- ,2

The vapors pass through the goose neck 12 to-a reflux aerial condensrli; which aerial condenser 13takes,the form of a pair of cylindrical headers 14: and ld connected byte plurality of zigzag aerial ipes 1 Fro i-r the upper headerl5, the vaporspas lines 17 and 18 to the water 'conden ser 19.- From the water condenser 19, the condense liquid and uncondensable gases pass-to the receiving tank 20. This 11%20'15 provided d, raw ofi 22 conwith gas outlet 21 andliqui mixed with the heavier residue found in the 1 designates the is mounted a series of in?" trolled by throttle valves 23 and 24 respectively, By re ulating the valves 11, 23 and 24, any desire vapor pressure may be maintained 'onthe system during distillation and condensation.

Fresh oil is'delivered from supply tank 25 by means of pump 26 to the inlet header 3. This inlet header is connected by pipe 27 to branch pipe 28 leading to the pump 26. The valve 29. 1s interposed in line 28. The still may 'be charged with oil and the pump 26 operated with the valve 29 left open, to feed a continuous supply of fresh charging stock to the cracking zone. As a feature of the invention eans' are provided'for returning a certain part-of the condensed vapors, to wit those that first condense or the heavier ones directly to the cracking zone and without comingling them with the residue in the chamber 6. This is accomplished by means of the depressed or' U-shaped portion 30 in the gooseneck 12,-which U-shaped' connection- 30 leads to the charging line 27 by \rneans of pipe 31. A pump 32 is interposed in the line 31 which is alsoprovided with valve 33. By this means, the condensate d' tma-y be forced directly by pump 32 into the charglng line and comingled with the fresh supply of 'oil from pump 26. If desired, however, the condensate may by-pass the pump 32 which is accomplished by by-pass line .34; controlled by valve 35. a

iAn illustrativerun of the process may be described as follows: gas oil of say 32 degrees Baum gravity from -mid continent fields is fed continuously for example into. the inclined tubes 2, forming; the cracking zone. The oil is there heated to a tempera;-

ture of say 750 to 850 Frfandpasses to the vapor chamber where thetemperature may drop 'say' 100. or more. The, 'unvaporized oil in the chamber 6 isdrawn off through the line 10 to aresiduun'r tank an'dit is to be understood that, this residue contains the greater part of the objectionable carbon con- ,tent. By this means, the carbon content is e cracking zone; The vapors pass out through the gooseneck 12.through the aerial reflux condenser.. .The li hter portions thereof and the Tuncondensaile -gases pass into the water condenser and thence to the receiving tank 20. The heavier condensate, however, returns throu h the trap 30 and lii'ie 31 to the chargingiine and either passes to pfievented from returning to thepipes 2 in be operated as a continuous process.

Joint asoline of sa 56 to 58 de rees Baum' gravity. As we have stated this process can This process can be successfully carried out in the cracking apparatus now in--- use and With relatively inexpensive changes, such changes however utilizing thevnovel features of my improved apparatus.

I claim as my invention: A rocess of convertin heav into 11 hter P i .v n hydrocarbon, consisting in continuously passing oil through a heating zone Where it is subjected toa cracking temperature, in introducing the heated oil to an enlarged vapor chamber, in discharging unvaporized residue from said vapor chamber and preventing it from again coming in contact with the incoming charging stock fed to said heating zone, in taking oifvapors from said vapor chamber and passing them through a vapor line to a refluxcondenser, in trapping all the condensate produced in said line to prevent any of said condensate from directly returning to the vapor chamber, in returning said condensate, together with condensate produced'in'the reflux condenser to the heating zone for retreatment, in condensing and collecting the vapors from said reflux condenser, and in maintaining'a vapor pressure above atmospheric on the oil undergoing conversion.

CARBON P; DUBBS. 

